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Obscure Stat of the Game

Since starting the season 15-0, Ohio State has been outrebounded in 13 of its past 16 games, including getting beat on the boards, 31-30, Sunday by Michigan State. During that stretch of 16 games, the Buckeyes were beaten on the rebound stat sheet in 10 straight games. — Rob McCurdy

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COLUMBUS — Aaron Craft came up with a new signature moment for his career Sunday evening.

A year ago, he sent Ohio State into the Sweet 16 with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer against Iowa State, but no one is going to confuse the senior point guard with former Buckeye sharpshooter Jon Diebler.

Craft — a guy best known for his defensive ability (he became the Big Ten Conference’s all-time leader in steals Sunday) and as the player with more floor burns and bruises per square inch of flesh than anyone in the country — made a play that encapsulated his being as a Buckeye.

With 29 seconds left and his team clinging to a 68-67 lead against No. 22 Michigan State, Craft saw a 3-point attempt by Spartans’ big man Adreian Payne bound off the rim toward the perimeter. He pounced.

Diving to the floor, Craft came up with the loose ball, sacrificing his body in the process; he came into the postgame media interview room with a towel covering a cut on his forearm, blood on his uniform and the jersey worn by teammate Sam Thompson.

“We thought we knew the play they were going to run,” Craft said. “Sam (who came over to contest the shot) made a good play on it. Down the stretch this year, we haven’t found ways to make plays like that, and in that moment that’s what I had to do for our team.”

Michigan State coach Tom Izzo called it “poetic justice.” Craft made yet another hustle play, one that preserved a much-needed victory during Ohio State’s senior day.

“A kid like that deserves to,” Izzo said.

Ohio State coach Thad Matta only could laugh as Craft walked to the sideline after the Buckeyes called a timeout to save a jump ball call.

“As only Aaron Craft can do, he comes over and says, ‘Why did you call timeout? It was a possession arrow and we didn’t have to waste the timeout.’ I said I didn’t call timeout and then Sam Thompson chimes in and says, ‘I called the timeout.’ It was a big-time play, but for him to have the awareness and question my coaching intellect … I will forgive, but I’m not going to forgive him on the free throws though,” Matta joked.

Craft was fouled eight seconds later, but made one of two. Nevertheless, the Buckeyes held on to win. They ended a two-game losing skid thanks to a steal with eight seconds left, then his contesting of a Gary Harris jumper before the buzzer.

“You gotta love Craft. I do,” Izzo said. “I think those two guys (Craft and fellow senior Lenzelle Smith Jr.) are what’s right about college basketball. They’re great kids. They stand for everything I would want a player to stand for.”

Craft finished with 12 points, seven assists and four steals, making 4-of-9 shots from the floor and 4-of-6 from the foul line in 37 minutes. Smith helped keep the Buckeyes close in the first half by scoring nine points with eight rebounds and two assists.

“With Lenzelle and Aaron and all the memories they have in this building over the course of four years and to end it this way, (it) is a great feeling for a coach,” Matta said. “You look at the stat lines and all the things they contributed to this team and to win this (game Sunday). It’s definitely a great ending to their time in Columbus.”

For someone considered one of the best backcourt defenders of all time, it was an apt ending for Craft’s career in the Schottenstein Center.

“That would probably be the most fitting end to an Ohio State guy’s career, in his last home game to make that play,” Matta said of the new signature moment for Craft. “He was in timeouts and he was saying, ‘We’re not losing; we’re not losing; we gotta make plays.’ For him to come up with that (loose rebound), I don’t know if it could describe his career any better than that.”

The hustle play defines his career much better than the heroic shot in a third round NCAA Tournament game in Dayton. It was a signature play that suits him much better.